Diversidade e relação parasito-hospedeiro de carrapatos em aves silvestres em fragmento de Floresta Atlântica na Zona da Mata, MG, Brasil.

Abstract

The present study aimed to broaden the knowledge about tick parasitism in wild birds in southeast Brazil. The tick collections were carried out in the Botanic Garden of the Federal University of Juiz de Fora, located in a fragment of the Atlantic Forest in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. In total, 20 field trips were carried out between February 2014 and May 2016. A total of 1274 birds of six orders, 26 families and 91 species were captured. Of these, 251 (19.7%) birds of 42 species, 16 families and two orders were parasitized by ticks. Of the total number of birds captured (n = 1274), the relations of tick-bird were evaluate in 912 birds of the families Dendrocolaptidae, Platyrinchidae, Rhyncyclicidae, Thraupidae, Turdidae, Parulidae, Cardinalidae, Conopophagidae, Thamnophilidae and Tyrannidae. Of these families, 709 immature ticks (634L, 77N) were collected, and the following species, in order of the most frequent to the less frequent, were observed: Amblyomma sp. haplotype Nazaré, Amblyomma longirostre, Amblyomma calcaratum, Amblyomma parkeri, Haemaphysalis leporispalustris, Amblyomma nodosum, Amblyomma ovale and Amblyomma aureolatum. Prevalence of ticks during seasons was 33.1 % (n = 145) and 14.4% (n = 67) for dry and rainy seasons, respectively. The most representative families were Dendrocolaptidae, Platyrinchidae, Rhyncyclidae, Thraupidae, Parulidae and Turdidae. The species Trichothraupis melanops and Turdus rufiventris showed higher diversity of ticks. Considering only the parasitized birds, it was possible to observe that 10.7% were co-infested by more than one species of tick. Regarding the place of attachment for tick nymphs, the throat followed by the crown were the preferred sites for attachment of this stage. This is the first record of Amblyomma sp. haplotype Nazaré for Turdus flavipes, Manacus manacus, Mionectes rufiventris, Thamnophilus caerulescens and Vireo olivaceus.